Police: Arrests made in LA store hostage drama

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Suspects are under arrest following a Southern California department store robbery, during which 14 employees were taken hostage and two of them were attacked, police said.

Sgt. Dennis Beacham told The Associated Press Sunday night that the arrests have been made. But he declined to elaborate, saying an official announcement would be made Monday.

But persons familiar with the investigation told the Los Angeles Times that three people had been arrested, including one on Friday and another on Saturday. The men were not identified and police did not release details.

Investigators had strong evidence linking the men to Thursday’s brazen robbery, including physical evidence and security camera video, the Times said. Prosecutors will decide this week whether to file charges.

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One employee was stabbed and another was sexually assaulted before the three-hour ordeal ended early Friday at the Nordstrom Rack store at a shopping center near Los Angeles International Airport.

Police officers and SWAT team members swarmed the shopping center that also has restaurants and a movie theater. Officers found most of the hostages locked in a storage room and two others in a bathroom, police said.

The employee who was stabbed was treated and released at the scene, police said.

To help identify the suspects, detectives conducted numerous witness interviews and examined surveillance video from inside and outside Nordstrom Rack as well as from surrounding businesses.